New York Times reporters bring you the most important developments on the biggest news stories.
On the first day of public hearings in the Trump impeachment inquiry, lawmakers questioned two diplomats, and laid out two competing narratives about the investigation. This is the first episode in our new series on the impeachment inquiry. For more information, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.
We’ve been hearing a lot about the “quid pro quo.” But this week, Democrats started using a new term, one that shows up in the impeachment clause of the Constitution, to describe President Trump’s actions toward Ukraine. Republicans started using it, too — to reject it.
“The Latest” is a new series on the impeachment inquiry, from the team behind “The Daily.” You can find more information about it here.
Marie Yovanovitch, who was ousted as the ambassador to Ukraine on President Trump’s orders, came before the House Intelligence Committee on the second day of public hearings in the impeachment inquiry. At the very moment she was testifying about feeling threatened by the president, the president was tweeting about her.
Four witnesses will appear in tomorrow’s public hearings — three of whom listened directly to the July phone call between President Trump and Ukraine’s president that is now at the center of the impeachment inquiry. Plus, impeachment investigators are looking into whether Mr. Trump lied to Robert S. Mueller III.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, gave public testimony of his alarm at what he heard during President Trump’s July phone call with the leader of Ukraine. Appearing in his Army dress uniform trimmed with military ribbons, Colonel Vindman spoke of himself as a patriot, an account that Democrats echoed. The president’s Republican allies, however, told a different story.
In explosive testimony, Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, directly implicated President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top administration officials in what he said was a push for a “clear quid pro quo” with the president of Ukraine. But during questioning, things got complicated.
Throughout the impeachment inquiry, an image has surfaced of the Trump administration’s two policymaking channels on Ukraine — one regular, one not. Today’s testimony from Fiona Hill, President Trump’s former top adviser on Russia and Europe, raised the question: Which was which?
President Trump called into ‘Fox & Friends’ this morning to respond to all that has been said over two weeks of public impeachment hearings. The conversation offered a preview of what may become the president’s impeachment defense.
The House Judiciary Committee opened a new phase of the impeachment inquiry by tackling a fundamental constitutional question: What is an impeachable offense? All the witnesses testifying in today’s hearing were in agreement, except one.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced this morning that the House of Representatives would draft articles of impeachment against President Trump. But what our colleague found most striking today happened a few hours later, when a reporter for a conservative television network asked the speaker, “Do you hate the president?”
